Karnataka coalition to expand state Cabinet on Wednesday

The exercise is seen as an attempt to strengthen the position of the ruling JD(S)-Congress alliance in the wake of its humiliating defeat in the LS poll, in which both just managed to get one seat each.

Chief minister HD Kumaraswamy on Saturday announced that the much-anticipated cabinet expansion would take place on Wednesday at 11.30 am.

“I met the governor and asked him for time for the cabinet expansion. He has scheduled oath taking on Wednesday at 11.30 am,” the CM tweeted on Saturday.

The exercise is seen as an attempt to strengthen the position of the ruling JD(S)-Congress alliance in the wake of its humiliating defeat in the LS poll, in which both just managed to get one seat each. The cabinet expansion is seen as a way to contain the rebellion that erupted, especially in the Congress, after the poll debacle, with several senior leaders openly castigating the state leadership.

There are currently three vacancies in the state cabinet, which has a maximum limit of 34. Of these, two belong to the JD(S) and one to the Congress. A senior Congress leader said that the coalition was set to induct Independent legislator H Nagesh and R Shankar of the Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janata Party (KPJP) into the cabinet to strengthen its numbers in the House.